recentnews

One should avoid posting ``recent'' events---sports scores, a planecrash, or whatever people will see on the evening news or read in themorning paper. By the time the article has propagated across all ofUsenet, the ``news'' value of the article will have become stale.(This is one case for the argument that Usenet news is a misnomer.{Note that the Clarinet News service (Clarinet) offers news items ina Usenet format as a precise alternative to the morning paper, et.al.)

Quality of Postings

How you write and present yourself in your articles is important. Ifyou have terrible spelling, keep a dictionary near by. If you havetrouble with grammar and punctuation, try to get a book on Englishgrammar and composition (found in many bookstores and at garagesales). By all means pay attention to what you say---it makes you whoyou are on The Net.

Likewise, try to be clear in what you ask. Ambiguous or vaguequestions often lead to no response at all, leaving the posterdiscouraged. Give as much essential information as you feel isnecessary to let people help you, but keep it within limits. Forinstance, you should probably include the operating system of yourcomputer in the post if it's needed, but don't tell everybody whatperipherals you have hanging off of it.